Car coupler operating device



Sept. 12, 1933 w. J. TANGERMAN CAR COUPLER OPERATING DEVICE Filed March 27, 1930 Inuemor:

J. T312 arms/z Patented Sept. 12, 1933 CAR COUPLER OPERATING DEVICE William J. Tangerman, Hammond, Ind, assignor to Union Metal Products Company, Chicago,

111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 27, 1930.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for operating a railway car coupler mounted upon the car for lateral and longitudinal movement and having a pivoted knuckle provided with a tail engageable with a knuckle lock to which such an operating device is connected. The invention relates specifically to a railway car coupler having an anticreep feature which is so formed that the lock can be raised to an unlocked position by the operating device, but cannot be raised by the creeping action of the locks due to the service movements of the car. Some of such couplers are provided with a rotatable member (or rotor) secured to the underside of the coupler head for transmitting operating movements to the lock.

An object of the invention is to provide an operating rod for such a coupler having a separate stabilizer which is associated with a part of the car (preferably a bracket mounted on the car) so as to stabilize the rod by gravity against a rotative movement thereof, which would release the coupler anti-creep feature. The device is preferably arranged to stabilize the rod against a rotative movement in either direction, as a swinging movement of the handle toward the car might cause a swinging movement away from the car, which latter movement would unlock the anti-creep.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an operating rod with a handle and to associate the above mentioned stabilizer with the handle and shank of the operating rod to prevent rotation of the stabilizer aroundthe shank.

This objectionable swinging movement of the 35 handle is caused by the irregular movements of the train in service, particularly the quick variations in the speed of the train.

In the drawing:

Figs. 1 and 2 show a portion of a car and coupler provided with my operating device.

Fig. 3 shows a stabilizer in detail.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a bracket in detail.

The coupler 2, as is customary, is mounted upon the car so as to move longitudinally and laterally thereof in service. The coupler shown comprises a rotor 3 arranged to operate the coupler upon the rotation thereof, which rotor is supported below the coupler head by means integral with the coupler. (A typical coupler of this type is 50 shown in Kinne Patent No. 1,639,300, August 16,

1927.) The bracket 5 is shown mounted upon the end sill 6 of the car.

In the form illustrated my device comprises an operating rod having a shank 7 with its inner end 55 operatively connected to the rotor 3 preferably Serial No. 439,317

by a hook 8 engaging the eye 9 of the rotor. The operating rod is provided with 2. preferably depending handle 11 adjacent its outer end so as to be operated by the trainmen from adjacent the side of the car.

A separate stabilizer 12 is provided which is attached to the shank 7 of the operating rod and also to the handle 11 thereof so as to prevent rotation of the stabilizer around the shank of the operating rod. The form of stabilizer, illustrated 0;; in Fig. 3 comprises a bar or main portion having a flange 13 at one end provided with an aperture 14. through which the shank 7 extends and also having a flange 16 at its outer end provided with an aperture through which the handle 11 of the operating rod extends. One of these apertures, preferably the one engaging the handle, is manufactured to provide an open eye 17 which is closed after the handle is put in the eye.

After the stabilizer has been attached to the operating rod and positioned upon the bracket; in other words, after the device has been assembled upon the car, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer edge or edges 35 of the stabilizer form parts eccentric from the axis of the shank '7 so 8?: that upon rotation of the operating rod the weight of the outer portion of the rod is shifted to said part so that the rod is stabilized by gravity against a rotative movement. I preferably provide the stabilizer with eccentric parts (35-35) positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the shank 7 (as shown in the forms illustrated) so that upon rotation of the operating rod in either direction the weight of the outer por tion of the rod is shifted to one or the other of said parts so the rod is stabilized by gravity against rotative movement in either direction.

The bracket 5 illustrated comprises a substantially flat portion or bearing 40 for engagement of the stabilizer, and upwardly projecting walls M 41-42 on opposite sides of the bearing spaced apart substantially the width of the stabilizer, the distance between said walls above the bearing being less than the width of the stabilizer, whereby the operating rod can not be removed vertically from or inserted in the bracket without rotating the rod out of its normal position. In practice I prefer to arrange the associated parts so that it is necessary to rotate the rod about ninety degrees before it can be removed. With this arrangement the rod cannot be jolted out of the bracket by the service movement of the car. The filler 44 and its retaining bolt 4'7 may be used to close the throat if desired. This bracket may be used with a separate or integral stabilizer.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim: V

1. In a railway car, an operating means for use with a car coupler having a member mounted upon the coupler arranged to operate said coupler upon rotation of an operating rod, said means comprising an operating rod having a shank with its inner end arranged to be operatively. connected to said member and provided with a handle adjacent its outer end, said rod provided with a stabilizer providing a part eccentric from the axis of the shank, and a bracket mounted upon the car positioned to support said rod, said bracket provided with a bearing adjacent said part so that upon rotation of the operating rod the weight of the outer portion of the rod is shifted to said part and the bearing of the bracket whereby upon release the operating rod returns to normal position by gravity so that the rod is stabilized against rotative movement, said bracket having upwardly projecting walls on the opposite sides of the bearing spaced apart substantially the width of the stabilizer, the distance between said walls above said bearing being less than the width of the stabilizer whereby the operating rod cannot be removed vertically from the bracket without rotating the rod out of normal position.

2. In a railway car, an operating means for use with a car coupler having a member mounted upon the coupler arranged to operate said coupler upon rotation of an operating rod, said means comprising an operating rod having a shank with its inner end arranged to be operatively con nected to said member and provided with a handle adjacent its outer end, said rod provided with a stabilizer providing a part eccentric from the axis of the shank, and a bracket mounted upon the car positioned to support said rod, said bracket provided with a bearing adjacent said part so that upon rotation of the operating rod the weight of the outer portion of the rod is shifted to said part and the bearing of the bracket whereby upon release the operating rod returns to normal position by gravity so that the rod is stabilized against rotative movement, said bracket having upwardly projecting walls on the opposite sides of the bearing spaced apart substantially the width of the stabilizer, the distance between said walls above said bearing being less than the width of the stabilizer whereby the operating rod cannot be re-- moved vertically from the bracket without rotating the rod out of normal position, and removable meansto close the throat between said walls.

' WILLIAM J TANGERMAN 

